CIMAM Toolkit Environmental Sustainability
![Immediate ActionsToolkit2021.jpg](/media/images/Immediate_ActionsToolkit2021_02.width-2480.jpg)
Examples of Immediate Actions
This section of CIMAM's Environmental Sustainability in Museum Practice Toolkit collates a series of actions and solutions that are currently being implemented in the museums and curatorial projects of CIMAM Board members 2020–22.
EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS
- Extend the duration of exhibitions to over 3 months and a half or even longer. Sensitive works from a conservation perspective are discussed separately.
- Greater focus on local artists and works from the collection.
- Use virtual couriers. And analyze in each case which is the most suitable transport for the artwork and the environment.
- Plan for international exhibitions to be installed remotely, without the artists and external curators.
- Reusable exhibition furniture, such as display cases and frames, reusing walls from previous exhibitions, developing modular temporary walls, and reusing wooden flooring employed to protect during the installation.
- List the stored items, create guidelines for exhibition designers regarding which materials could be used, non-toxic, recyclable, or reusable, etc.
- Offer workshops and training programs to help foster awareness of the need to protect our environment.
- Produce virtual materials for families, learners, the disabled, and everyone to access online.
MUSEUM STAFF
- Hire staff to work remotely, including research and viewing of artworks for acquisition.
- Involve all museum staff and departments in all stages of the planning and executing of the Sustainability Plan.
- Provide training to your staff, consulting experts, and commissioning professional reports.
- Obtain certificates to rate the environmental sustainability performance of your programs, operations, and building management.
- Apply for grants that support environmental operational changes and the production of environmental-related programs.
OPERATIONS AND BUILDING EFFICIENCY
- Establish a responsible policy for the use of administrative consumables.
- Establish a low-print policy with a move to digital communication, including reports for Councils and Ministries.
- Print only the essentials. If you print, do it double-sided.
- Reduce printed promotional materials such as leaflets, postcards, invitations, etc.
- Rethink publications formats. E-catalogs, for example, can be purchased online.
- Make inventories of the types of paper used and choose the most environmentally respectful.
- If you print, use Km0 printers (incurring no flights) using eco ink and recycled paper.
- Establish an internal waste-sorting guide.
- Convert the lighting system to LED.
- Install photovoltaic panels in your building.
- Composting, also by the restaurant and café.
- Increase Km0 products and vegetarian options in your restaurant and café.
- Zero plastic. Including replacing plastic garbage bags with ecological ones.
- Use tap water instead of bottled – in the museum, restaurant, and café. If tap water is not possible, then build a safe water supply to reduce the number of plastic bottles.
- Use regular cups instead of paper or plastic cups. Zero waste.
- Create bicycle parking to encourage museum staff and visitors to cycle.
- Partner with like-minded museums and venues to share and reuse resources.
- Work in alliance with public and private entities that may help you in realizing your green mission and promote environmental awareness.
- Install a rainwater tank to water the green areas surrounding the museum.
- Review the irrigation circuits for the venue's green areas. Ensure they are controlled and adequate. consumption of water according to the season.
- The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place.
![ShirlyTse01.png](/media/images/ShirlyTse01_l1zuY1i.width-2480.png)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, artist Shirley Tse and guest curator Christina Li were unable to travel to Hong Kong for the installation at M+ of Shirley Tse: Stakes and Holders. The exhibition was installed through extensive dialogue across three different time zones – between the artist in Los Angeles, the guest curator in Amsterdam, and the curatorial and installation team in Hong Kong. Watch the full video here.
![ShirlyTse02.png](/media/images/ShirlyTse02_J1WGRgl.width-2480.png)
Another example is artist Phyllida Barlow's virtual installation for Another Energy: Power to Continue Challenging exhibition at Mori Art Museum where both the artist and curators (Mami Kataoka and Martin Germann) worked remotely.
![PhyllidaBarlowMori2021.jpg](/media/images/PhyllidaBarlowMori2021_Hl43wUU.width-2480.jpg)
The Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, Argentina has extended the length of the exhibitions according to their size:
Major Exhibitions (800–1200m2) used to last 7 months, from 2020 onwards they last 1 year.
Medium Exhibitions (400–800m2) last an average of 6–7 months.
Small or Project shows (80m2) of younger artists or research projects usually last 3–6 months.